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Source: Edelman injured ribs, should be OK

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman left in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the New York Jets and missed the rest of the game with what the Patriots called a chest injury.

The injury is thought to be to Edelman's ribs, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter, but he "should be OK." Initial X-rays were negative but more tests are scheduled for Monday, according to another source.

Edelman sustained the injury on a three-yard catch with 1:18 remaining until halftime. On the play, he caught a short pass and ran up the field, with Jets cornerback Brian Poole swiping at his legs. As the 5-foot-10, 198-pound Edelman fell to the ground, he was landed on by 6-foot-6, 301-pound defensive lineman Henry Anderson.

Edelman reached for the area of his ribs on his right side as he stood up. He stayed on the field for the team's final play of the drive, and then left for the locker room as the Jets took over possession with 34 seconds remaining until halftime.

After the game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he didn't have an update on Edelman's status.

The Patriots' offense sputtered without Edelman.

"When you're missing your best players, it gets more challenging and your margin of error goes down," quarterback Tom Brady said. "Every team deals with it."

Edelman's locker was closed, and he was not present, when reporters arrived in the locker room after the game.

Edelman, who was named Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl LIII, didn't come out of the locker room for the second half with his teammates. The Patriots had initially ruled Edelman questionable before downgrading him to out early in the fourth quarter of the team's 30-14 win.

The Patriots' receiving corps was thinned after the release of Antonio Brown on Friday, and Edelman is quarterback Tom Brady's No. 1 option. The team's other starter, Josh Gordon, injured his left hand in the third quarter and required medical attention as well, but he returned to action with his ring and pinkie fingers taped together.

Until Gordon returned, five-year veteran Phillip Dorsett and undrafted rookie free agents Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski were the only receivers available for action.